Enclosures are known, termed black boxes, which contain circuit cards and electronic components and circuitry therefor, which are interconnected to input/output conductors at an interface. Such black boxes are commonly utilized in electronics bays of aircraft and ships for example and are mounted on racks or shelves to be easily removed for repair, servicing and testing. The input/output interface commonly contains mounted thereon a first electrical connector to which is matable a second electrical connector terminated to a cable containing a plurality of electrical conductors, and commonly the connectors are manually mated and then secured in the mated condition to the black box structure.
Examples of connectors commonly used in such mated arrangements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,491,330; 3,562,696; 4,509,258 and 4,874,337. in which dielectric inserts containing arrays of terminals terminated to respective conductors of a cable, are affixed within a protective shell member adapted to be secured by fasteners to a panel.
It is desired to provide an interface for automatically mating one or more cable connectors to corresponding connectors along a rear wall of an enclosure, upon moving the enclosure into position in a shelf or rack, and permitting the removal of the enclosure if desired, without connector manipulation, tools or fastening or unfastening the connectors into or from the mated condition.
It is further desired to provide such an interface which provides inherent protection of the electronics within the enclosure from electromagnetic and radiofrequency interference.